Teixeira: Bury Me in Pinstripes

[SrMeowMeow]

Yeah, I'd say it does. No reason to begrudge the guy. He took the best deal available. It's not his fault the Orioles weren't willing to pay him what the market would bear.

I think Tony's being fair. Maybe there's no reason to begrudge him his contract, but there's a LOONG way between that and calling his decision "classy".

[Hank Scorpio]

Showalter came here because he liked the way Andy MacPhail had set things up.

Quoted for truth.

[crissfan172]

I have no problem with his decision. It was his words and actions prior to the signing and after the signing that made me hate his guts.

[Maverick2143]

http://www.pressboxonline.com/story.cfm?id=6309

Actions speak louder that words.

[El Gordo]

Yeah, I'd say it does. No reason to begrudge the guy. He took the best deal available. It's not his fault the Orioles weren't willing to pay him what the market would bear.

T-bag reminds me as ARoid Jr. I don't begrudge either their salaries, but they both strike me as image conscious phonies, that are in it for themselves. Not the kind of guy I like to root for.

[I(heart)Birds]

T-bag reminds me as ARoid Jr. I don't begrudge either their salaries, but they both strike me as image conscious phonies, that are in it for themselves. Not the kind of guy I like to root for.

Of course they're in it for themselves. Markakis wasn't in it for himself when he signed for $66m? If Tex would have taken $140m in Baltimore, he would have been in it for himself.

I get the whole "Yankee hate thing".

But this whining about guys who take a lot more money to go somewhere is pretty lame IMHO. They're all mercernaries. All of them. Every single Oriole would go to the Yankees in a heartbeat if they got a $4m per-season pay increase. You know that and so do I.

[El Gordo]

Of course they're in it for themselves. Markakis wasn't in it for himself when he signed for $66m? If Tex would have taken $140m in Baltimore, he would have been in it for himself.

I get the whole "Yankee hate thing".

But this whining about guys who take a lot more money to go somewhere is pretty lame IMHO. They're all mercernaries. All of them. Every single Oriole would go to the Yankees in a heartbeat if they got a $4m per-season pay increase. You know that and so do I.

It's got nothing to do with the money as far a I am concerned. I don't think either of these guys are team players and IMO they are more concerned with their media images, and personal numbers.

[OrangeJerseys]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gGleYSeXjSs...The true Tex. Watch it and learn Trea.

I've done enough vomiting in my life. No thanks.

[OFFNY]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gGleYSeXjSs...The true Tex. Watch it and learn Trea.

Teixeira: ........ "When you think of baseball, you think of the Yankees, or I always did growing up" ..........

Those were the first words out of his mouth in this interview.

It's all about Maryland baseball ......... that's why Teixeira "always thought of the Yankees when he was growing up."

Apparently, Maryland baseball is all about the Yankees.

If this guy simply said that he never liked the Orioles, was always a Yankee fan his whole life, he would still be a dork for choosing to root for the Yankees ......... but at least he'd be an honest dork. He can't even say that.

I grew up in New York State, and I always loved the Orioles and hated the Yankees ........ so maybe I'm a dork for not rooting for the home team that I grew up with ......... but at least I'm an honest dork.

.

[JTrea81]

Teixeira: ........ "When you think of baseball, you think of the Yankees, or I always did growing up" ..........

Those were the first words out of his mouth in this interview.

It's all about Maryland baseball ......... that's why Teixeira "always thought of the Yankees when he was growing up."

Apparently, Maryland baseball is all about the Yankees.

If this guy simply said that he never liked the Orioles, was always a Yankee fan his whole life, he would still be a dork for choosing to root for the Yankees ......... but at least he'd be an honest dork. He can't even say that.

I grew up in New York State, and I always loved the Orioles and hated the Yankees ........ so maybe I'm a dork for not rooting for the home team that I grew up with ......... but at least I'm an honest dork.

.

What is he supposed to say in front of a crowd of NY reporters?

"I was an Orioles fan but the only reason I'm here is because they aren't winning and the Yankees are and offered me more money?"

[TonySoprano]

http://www.pressboxonline.com/story.cfm?id=6309

What was he supposed to say in front of a crowd of Baltimore media types? That he liked Mattingly more than Murray and his own father was the real reason he tried switch-hitting.

[OFFNY]

What is he supposed to say in front of a crowd of NY reporters?

"I was an Orioles fan but the only reason I'm here is because they aren't winning and the Yankees are and offered me more money?"

You know damn well that you don't have to lie right through your teeth to avoid insulting the team you just signed for. If you do, you make a complete ass of yourself, as did Johnny Damon last year when he said "I always dreamed of being a Tiger." ...... and as Teixeira did, when he lied about it being all about Maryland baseball, and that he had Don Mattingly plastered all over his bedroom walls, but he was really an Oriole fan (Yeah, riiiiiiiiiight).

All Teixiera had to do was say that he was happy to sign with the Yankees, and glad to be with a winning team. Period. He didn't. He went out of his way to do what he does regularly ........ lie right through his teeth.

.

[Bradysburns]

Yeah, I'd say it does. No reason to begrudge the guy. He took the best deal available. It's not his fault the Orioles weren't willing to pay him what the market would bear.

Andy's offer was an OPENING offer, from what I recall. He never even called back, man. So your argument doesn't hold water with me. He chose the Yankees over the Orioles because he wanted to play for the Yankees over the Orioles. That is obvious. And that is why he deserves to be pooped on by the Cartoon Oriole bird.

[JTrea81]

Andy's offer was an OPENING offer, from what I recall. He never even called back, man. So your argument doesn't hold water with me. He chose the Yankees over the Orioles because he wanted to play for the Yankees over the Orioles. That is obvious. And that is why he deserves to be pooped on by the Cartoon Oriole bird.

AM also said he would have never offered $180 million+ either so it wouldn't have mattered.

The Orioles were never going to match the Yankees regardless.

And as I said, this wasn't a Cliff Lee situation. Tex had no commitment to win from the Orioles. He knew he could win and get paid with the Yankees. Easy decision.

[davearm]

:rolleyestf:

The guy has been mercenary for multiple teams and has shown a penchant for coming up small when his teams need it most (.650 OPS in 122 post season PAs). The guy talks out both sides of his mouth and tells everyone what they want to hear. He gave up a chance to make more money then he or his family would ever be able to spend along a chance to put down a legacy but instead took the highest offer to go play for his "hometown" team's arch rival.

That's not my definition of classy.

How has this guy been a "mercenary" for multiple teams?

Multiple teams have traded him away, and Tex had no control over it.

Tex himself has signed a FA contract once.

Perhaps you ought to consider that he placed a higher priority on winning than "putting down a legacy" or somesuch nonsense. Neither Tex nor anyone else harbors some obligation to come galloping in on a white horse and save the Orioles, and especially not for a $40M discount.